Snow
by The Lovely Cynic
Summary: ."What was a snowman without a head or a nose or a smile? They were just giant snowballs, that’s what."


**Snow**

**Author's Notes: **Definitely not my best work. By _far_. But at least I got one present done for Christmas/Allen's birthday? ARGH, I am not proud of this. But... merry Christmas anyways, **checkeredmoro**....

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Allen's teeth chattered as he pushed the steadily growing snowball forward. His gloves were caked in powdery, freezing snow and the cold starting to seep through his leather boots like water. His cheeks were numb, his nose was starting to stuff up and the wind was making his ears ache.

But... he couldn't stop now. The snowman was halfway done. What was a snowman without a head or a nose or a smile? They were just giant snowballs, that's what.

He scrunched his nose up and pushed the ball with a newfound determination. As it gathered up more snow, Allen had to look up and compare it to the rest of the snowman's body. He paused and lifted up the head with some difficulty and placed it on top of the lumpy midsection. He patted snow down around the cracks to secure the head in place. His hands were stinging and numb from the cold, but he was almost done with the snow....

He flopped backwards when he was finished. He groaned in his throat, feeling cold, sore and exhausted. If he hadn't wanted to catch hypothermia, he would have slept right then and there. The sky was starting to turn dark gray and blue as the sun set behind the clouds, a hazy darkness beginning to fall over the land. Small, scarce snowflakes drifted to the ground with an unhurried, comfortable ease, only to blend in with the drifts as they hit the earth.

Allen sighed, long and slow, eyes slipping closed for a moment. It was so quiet and peaceful....

"Hey, Allen, what are you planning to do? Sleep in the snow?"

The silver-haired boy cracked an eye open to spot a black and white figure with a shock of red hair so bright it almost hurt Allen's eyes to look. He certainly stood out in the pale colours of winter.

"No," the smaller boy sighed, pushing himself up into a sitting position. He shot Lavi a half-smile and shook some snow out of his hair. "I was just resting. I still need to finish my snowman."

He gestured towards the pile of snow, still without arms or eyes or a smile. The redhead raised an eyebrow and glanced back at Allen, his lips pressed together and eyes narrowing in what seemed to be concern.

"You should come inside, Allen. You've been out here for hours. You'll catch a cold or something, you know," he sighed, placing a hand on his hip.

Allen simply shook his head. "I have to finish my snowman. I don't need to do much else to it." He paused for a moment. Lavi looked unconvinced. "Um... would you like to help me?"

The older Exorcist blinked once. Twice. Three times before laughing gently and crouching down beside the white-haired boy. "I suppose I could be of some assistance, if it'll get you inside faster. And then maybe we can go to my room with some hot cocoa and read a book?"

Allen's smile widened and he nodded quickly. The idea of curling up against Lavi with a warm mug in his hands sounded like _heaven_. "Sure."

The younger handed a couple branches and a carrot that he had swiped from the kitchen to the redhead as he hopped up to hunt for some stones. They made short work of it and not even five minutes later, the couple was standing in front of the newly finished snowman to admire it. Allen leaned against Lavi, shivering delicately and feeling physically drained. He felt like an empty cup—nothing remaining but a few drops of energy.

"Looks good," the elder idly commented, looking down at Allen with a cheerful grin. "But it's missing something...." He frowned, tilting his head to the side as if that would change his perspective on the snowman. "Ah! I know!"

The smaller boy nearly fell over as Lavi shuffled forward. He unwrapped his scarf from around his neck and placed it on the snowman's. He grinned and took a step back, looking like a proud father whose child was getting ready for their first day of school.

"Much better!"

Allen stared at his snowman. He folded his arms over his chest and felt rather satisfied, standing there in front of it. It was done....

"Why'd you want to finish it so badly, anyways?" Lavi asked, coming back over and wrapping an arm around the silver head's waist. Allen stayed silent for a few passing seconds. It was a comfortable silence... and yet held something melancholy and heavy. Something Lavi couldn't quite place....

Allen smiled sadly, pressing his cold cheek against the redhead's shoulder. "It... was something I did as child," he whispered. "Mana and I would always build a snowman together whenever it would snow. It was kind of a tradition, I suppose and... I didn't want to give it up."

So that was it. Lavi's grip tightened around Allen's waist. He felt his heart sink slightly for the smaller boy. He knew the memory of Mana could be painful for him sometimes...."I guess I can understand that," he murmured, tilting his head down to place a gentle kiss to the younger boy's cheek. Allen couldn't help the blood that rushed there, warming them slightly. He was suddenly glad that his face was already flushed from the cold....

"Thanks for helping out, Lavi," he muttered. He moved his gaze up to stare into that single emerald eye, the corners of his lips tugging upwards. He grabbed onto the redhead's hand and laced their fingers together, standing on his toes, hesitating only a second before his mouth was lightly brushing over Lavi's. They stayed like that for only a moment, neither daring to spoil the moment by moving.

"Come on," Lavi breathed out, squeezing Allen's hand. "Let's go inside now...."

The younger Exorcist could only nod, leaning his head against the redhead's shoulder as they made their way back into the Order.

They fell asleep that night in Lavi's room, book and cocoa long forgotten.


End file.
